Wall Street Journal Bestseller
Much of what we’ve been told about the qualities that lead to achievement is logical, earnestand downright wrong.
Barking Up the Wrong Tree explodes the myths and looks at the science behind what separates the extremely successful from the rest of us. What it reveals is that success is less about being perfect in a particular quality than knowing what you’re best at and being properly aligned with your context. The thing that sets you apart, the habits you tried to banish, the things you were taunted for in school may grant you an unbeatable advantage given the proper context.
While we can’t all win Olympic Gold or Nobel Prizes, many of the methods that get people ahead are well within reach. The book will look at what works, what doesn’t and share insights on how to best navigate the world when we’re unsure. It will also reveal:
- Why valedictorians rarely become millionaires, why the best (and worst) US Presidents are the ones who subvert the system, and how your biggest weakness might actually be your greatest strength.
- How disaster survivors find the will to go on, how Medal of Honor winners keep fighting when the odds seem impossible, and how the emerging science of mental contrasting can help us determine when to go all-in and when to think twice.
- When is the best time to double your efforts, when to throw in the towel-and when to bluff.
- How the most networked employees are often the most productivebut why the greatest experts almost invariably classify themselves as introverts (including an astounding 90% of top athletes.)
Sometimes what produces success is raw talent, sometimes it’s the nice things mom told you to do and other times it’s the exact opposite.
Barking Up the Wrong Tree separates the true from the false and rewrite the rules of success for everyone.
About the Author
Eric Barker is the creator of the blog
Barking Up the Wrong Tree, which presents science-based answers and expert insight on how to be awesome at life. His work has been mentioned in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic Monthly, TIME magazine, The Week, and Business Insider. He is a former Hollywood screenwriter, having worked on projects for Walt Disney Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, and Revolution Studios. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and holds an MBA from Boston College and a Master of Fine Arts from UCLA.
Industry Reviews
"BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE is a masterpiece. Whether you are a connoisseur of self-help books, or despise them, you won't be able to resist this recipe for living a better life." -- Robert Sutton, Stanford Professor and bestselling author of The Asshole Survival Guide: How to Deal With People Who Treat You Like Dirt "In this compulsively readable, brilliant kaleidoscope BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE, Barker is your rollicking guide through the science of success. You'll discover what pirates and inmates can teach us about honesty and generosity, how to network like the world's greatest mathematician, and much, much more. -- Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Drive and To Sell is Human "Delightfully puckish, evidence-backed and full of insight, this book answers questions about success that have puzzled us for far too long." -- Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Originals and Give and Take "This book is compelling because Barker's irreverence is so consistently on-target, relentlessly puncturing the wisdom balloons that most need bursting." -- Robert B. Cialdini ,New York Times bestselling author of Influence and Pre-Suasion
